Appliance containment device

ABSTRACT

An appliance containment device is provided which is able to enclose portions of an appliance, such as a water heater, or other object to contain dirt, water, and other contaminants that the appliance may release. In some embodiments, the device may include an encasement having a first end and a second end. The first end may be open and the second end may be coupled to a base. A cavity may be disposed in the encasement and may extend between the first end and the base. The device may include a mat. Optionally, a mat may be coupled to the base outside of the cavity and/or optionally a mat may be coupled to bottom portions of an appliance, and the mat may be positioned inside the cavity with the appliance so that portions of the mat may contact portions of the base.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This patent specification relates to the field of containment devices.More specifically, this patent specification relates to a device that isconfigured to enclose portions of an appliance or other object tocontain dirt, water, and other contaminants that the appliance mayrelease.

BACKGROUND

Appliances, such as water heaters, by the nature of the task they aredesigned to accomplish, become dirty through use and often leak water,dirt, and other contaminants when moved. This makes the removal of theappliances a cumbersome task as care must be taken to prevent orminimize the leakage of these contaminants onto people and surfaces.

In order to facilitate the removal of appliances, people may resort towearing gloves and wrapping the appliance in drop cloths, trash bags, orplastic tarps. Unfortunately, these methods have many drawbacks. Oncegloves come in contact with a dirty surface, anything they come incontact afterwards will become contaminated as well. While drop clothsmay be wrapped around and completely cover the appliance, any liquidwill quickly seep through and leak onto floor surfaces, which may thenbe spread by the shoes of people carrying the appliance. The drop clothmust then be washed or thrown away resulting in increased costs andinconvenience. Plastic tarps may be wrapped around the appliance butthey are difficult to maintain in position around the appliance. Also,like drop cloths, plastic tarps are prone to leaks, and they must bewashed or thrown away after each use. Additionally, these tarps and thelike may rip and tear thereby allowing the contaminants to leak out.

Therefore, a need exists for novel appliance containment devices. Afurther need exists for appliance containment devices device which areable to enclose portions of an appliance or other object to containdirt, water, and other contaminants that the appliance may release.There is also a need for appliance containment devices which are able tobe secured to an appliance in order to ensure appliance containmentduring transit. Finally, there is a need for appliance containmentdevices which are able to accommodate a wide range of appliance sizesand designs.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An appliance containment device is provided. The device may be used tofacilitate the transport of an appliance, such as a water heater,preferably by being configured to enclose portions of the appliance tocontain dirt, water, and other contaminants that the appliance mayrelease.

In some embodiments, the device may include an encasement having a firstend and a second end, and the second end may be coupled to a base. Acavity may be disposed in the encasement, and the cavity may extendbetween the first end and the base. A mat may be configured to contactthe base, and the mat may be coupled to the base outside of the cavity.

In further embodiments, the device may include an encasement having afirst end and a second end, and the second end may be coupled to a base.A cavity may be disposed in the encasement, and the cavity may extendbetween the first end and the base. A mat may be configured to contactthe base. The mat may be configured to be coupled to bottom portions ofan appliance, and the mat may be configured to be positioned inside thecavity with the appliance so that portions of the mat may contactportions of the base.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Some embodiments of the present invention are illustrated as an exampleand are not limited by the figures of the accompanying drawings, inwhich like references may indicate similar elements and in which:

FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of an example of an appliancecontainment device according to various embodiments described herein.

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of an example of an appliancecontainment device and an appliance according to various embodimentsdescribed herein.

FIG. 3 shows a partial sectional view of an example of an appliancecontainment device according to various embodiments described herein.

FIG. 4 depicts a perspective view of another example of an appliancecontainment device according to various embodiments described herein

FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of another example of an appliancecontainment device and an appliance according to various embodimentsdescribed herein.

FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of another example of an encasementaccording to various embodiments described herein.

FIG. 7 depicts a perspective view of another example of a mat accordingto various embodiments described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularembodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. Asused herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of oneor more of the associated listed items. As used herein, the singularforms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms aswell as the singular forms, unless the context clearly indicatesotherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises”and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify thepresence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, and/orcomponents, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or moreother features, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groupsthereof.

For purposes of description herein, the terms “upper”, “lower”, “left”,“right”, “rear”, “front”, “side”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, andderivatives thereof shall relate to the invention as oriented in FIG. 1.However, one will understand that the invention may assume variousalternative orientations and step sequences, except where expresslyspecified to the contrary. Therefore, the specific devices and processesillustrated in the attached drawings, and described in the followingspecification, are simply exemplary embodiments of the inventiveconcepts of the invention. Hence, specific dimensions and other physicalcharacteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein are not tobe considered as limiting, unless expressly stated otherwise.

Although the terms “first”, “second”, etc. are used herein to describevarious elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms.These terms are only used to distinguish one element from anotherelement. For example, the first element may be designated as the secondelement, and the second element may be likewise designated as the firstelement without departing from the scope of the invention.

As used in this application, the term “about” or “approximately” refersto a range of values within plus or minus 10% of the specified number.Additionally, as used in this application, the term “substantially”means that the actual value is within about 10% of the actual desiredvalue, particularly within about 5% of the actual desired value andespecially within about 1% of the actual desired value of any variable,element or limit set forth herein.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientificterms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by onehaving ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Itwill be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonlyused dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that isconsistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and thepresent disclosure and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overlyformal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

In describing the invention, it will be understood that a number oftechniques and steps are disclosed. Each of these has individual benefitand each can also be used in conjunction with one or more, or in somecases all, of the other disclosed techniques. Accordingly, for the sakeof clarity, this description will refrain from repeating every possiblecombination of the individual steps in an unnecessary fashion.Nevertheless, the specification and claims should be read with theunderstanding that such combinations are entirely within the scope ofthe invention and the claims.

A new appliance containment device is discussed herein. In the followingdescription, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details areset forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the presentinvention. It will be evident, however, to one skilled in the art thatthe present invention may be practiced without these specific details.

The present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of theinvention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specificembodiments illustrated by the figures or description below.

The present invention will now be described by example and throughreferencing the appended figures representing preferred and alternativeembodiments. FIGS. 1-5 illustrate examples of an appliance containmentdevice (“the device”) 100 according to various embodiments. In someembodiments, the device 100 may comprise an encasement 11 having a firstend 12 and a second end 13. The first end 12 may be open and the secondend 13 may be coupled to a base 14. A cavity 15 may be disposed in theencasement 11 and may extend between the first end 12 and the base 14.The device may include a mat 16. Optionally, a mat 16 may be coupled tothe base 14 outside of the cavity 15 and/or optionally a mat 16 may becoupled to bottom portions of an appliance 200, and the mat 16 may bepositioned inside the cavity 15 with the appliance 200 so that portionsof the mat 16 may contact portions of the base 14.

Generally, an encasement 11 may be configured as a flexible containerfor receiving all or portions of an appliance 200, such as a waterheater. In preferred embodiments, an encasement 11 may comprise agenerally hollow cylindrical shape to form a generally cylindricallyshaped cavity 15. In other embodiments, an encasement 11 may comprise agenerally hollow rectangular prism shape to form a generally rectangularprism shaped cavity 15. In other embodiments, an encasement 11 and acavity 15 may be configured in any other shape. The encasement 11preferably may be shaped to allow the cavity 15 to have a length ofapproximately 60 to 100 inches and a width of approximately 15 to 35inches so that all or portions of an appliance 200, such as a waterheater, may be received in the cavity 15. In other embodiments, anencasement 11 and a cavity 15 may be configured in any other size.

The encasement 11 may comprise a first end 12 and a second end 13, andthe first end 12 may be open and the second end 13 may be coupled to abase 14. In this manner, portions of an appliance 200 may enter thecavity 15 via the open first end 12 and may be prevented from exitingthe cavity 15 via the second end 13 by the base 14. In some embodiments,a first end 12 may be configured to slidably accept an embedded cordcapable of drawing portions of the first end 12 together as it istightened. As used herein the term “slidably accept” shall generallymean where a channel or conduit is capable of holding a cord within thechannel with enough space to allow the cord to move back and forthfreely within the channel. Tightening of the cord results in generallydecreasing or closing of the opening of the first end. The cord may bemade from natural or synthetic flexible materials such as nylon,plastic, cotton, and the like. In preferred embodiments, a cord lock maybe positioned on the cord to maintain tension on the cord once it istightened. The cord lock may be made from plastic, wood, or metal alloy.In other embodiments, a first end 12 may comprise any other fastener,device, or coupling method for securing portions of the first end 12 toitself and/or to an appliance 200.

In some embodiments and as shown in FIG. 6, an encasement 11 maycomprise one or more fasteners 23 which may be configured to governaccess to portions of the cavity 15. In preferred embodiments, afastener 23 may comprise a zipper type fastener, tongue and groove typefastener, hook and loop type fastener, snap fasteners, or any other typeof fastener which may enable portions of the encasement 11 to beremovably coupled together to optionally enable an appliance 200 to beinserted into and out of an opening in the encasement 11 that isgoverned by the one or more fasteners 23. In further embodiments, thefirst end 12 may be closed or may be coupled to a lid 25 so that anappliance 200 may only be inserted into and out of an opening in theencasement 11 that is governed by the one or more fasteners 23.Generally, a lid 25 may be configured as a base 14 but disposed on thefirst end 12 instead of the second end 13. Optionally, a lid 25 maycomprise one or more fasteners 23 which may be configured to governaccess to portions of the cavity 15.

A base 14 may be coupled to the second end 13 of an encasement 11 sothat the base 14 may prevent objects, such as dirt, water, andcontaminants, from exiting the cavity 15 through the second end 13. Insome embodiments, a base 14 may be integrally formed with the encasement11. In preferred embodiments, a base 14 may be coupled to the second end13 of the encasement via heat welding, stitching, chemical, bonding, orany other suitable coupling method. In further preferred embodiments,the base 14 and encasement 11 may be coupled together a desired distancewithin one or both of their perimeters to form a base overhang 17 and/oran encasement overhang 18. Generally, a base overhang 17 may comprise aportion of the base 14 that does not contact the encasement 11 or cavity15, while an encasement overhang 18 may comprise a portion of theencasement 11 that does not contact the base 14 or cavity 15.

An encasement 11 and a base 14 may be made from or may comprise agenerally flexible material that may be waterproof In preferredembodiments, an encasement 11 and a base 14 may be made from or maycomprise polymer sheeting, such as thin woven nylon or other fabricimpregnated with liquid silicone (such as Silnylon), Polypropylene (PP),Medium Density Polyethylene (MDPE), Linear Low Density Polyethylene(LLDPE), Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE), High Density Polyethylene(HDPE), any other polyethylene, Polyvinyl chloride, or any otherflexible polymer material that may be waterproof In further embodiments,an encasement 11 and a base 14 may be made from or may comprise alaminate of woven and sheet polyethylene material, canvas, WaterproofRipstop Nylon cloth that has been made waterproof by applying siliconeon both sides of the fabric, and/or any other flexible material.

In some embodiments, the device 100 may comprise one or more mats 16.Optionally, a mat 16 which may be coupled to the base 14 outside of thecavity 15 and/or a mat 16 may be coupled to bottom portions of anappliance 200, and the mat 16 may be positioned inside the cavity 15with the appliance 200. A mat 16 may be configured in any size andshape. In preferred embodiments, a mat 16 may be configured in a sizeand shape that may be larger than the base 14 and portions of anappliance 200 which may contact the base 14 and portions of theencasement 11 proximate to the base 14. In some embodiments, the device100 may comprise one or more securement apertures 24, preferablydisposed on or in the mat 16, which may be used to secure the device 100to objects. A securement aperture 24 may be formed by a grommet or anyother suitable fastener or device.

In some embodiments, the device 100 may comprise one or more retainers22 which may be used to couple portions of the device 100 to portions ofan appliance 200. In preferred embodiments, one or more retainers 22 maybe coupled to a mat 16, such as to one or more wings 22, and used tosecure or couple the mat 16 around and to portions of the appliance 200.In some embodiments, a retainer 22 may comprise a length of velstretchor elastic Velcro material. In other embodiments, a retainer 22 maycomprise a flexible material having an adhesive, such as adhesive tape,cord or ties, hook-and-loop type fasteners, magnetic fasteners, elastichooks, or any other coupling method or device which may be used tocouple a mat 16 to an appliance 200.

As shown in the example of FIGS. 1-3, in some embodiments, the mat 16may comprise a generally circular shape in which portions of theperimeter of the mat 16 may be folded back on itself and coupled toportions of the encasement 11, such as to portions of a base overhang 17and/or an encasement overhang 18. As perhaps best shown in the exampleof FIG. 4, in some embodiments, a mat 16 may comprise a generallyrectangular shape having one or more wings 21 which may extend away fromthe center of the mat 16. Wings 21 may be configured in any shape andsize and may be used to extend the reach of the mat 16 to wrap aroundportions of an appliance 200. In still further embodiments and as shownin FIG. 7, a mat 16 may be configured with a generally bucket shape or acylindrical shape that is closed on one end (mat bottom 28) and open ofthe other end (mat opening 27) to allow bottom portions of a generallycylindrically shaped appliance 200 to be received in the mat 16 via themat opening 27 and the mat bottom 28 may then be inserted into thecavity 15 to contact the base 14 and to prevent the bottom of theappliance 200 from ripping, puncturing, tearing, etc. the base 14 andother portions of the encasement 11. The mat 16 may also comprise one ormore retainers 22 which may be used to gather the mat opening 27 aroundthe appliance 200 and/or couple the mat opening 27 to the appliance 200.Optionally, a retainer 22 may comprise a coupler 31, 32, such as a malecoupler 31 and a female coupler 32, which may be coupled together tosecure one or more retainers 22 together. In preferred embodiments, aretainer 22 may comprise a resilient strap, such as velstretch, and acoupler 31, 32, may comprise one or more side release buckles, buckles,clasps, slides, loops, reducers, cam buckles, strap adjusters, snaphooks, D rings, tri-loops, footman loops, keepers, cord locks, straplocks, or any other suitable device for coupling a strap-like retainer22.

Generally, a mat 16 may be made from or may comprise a flexible materialthat preferably may be puncture resistant and friction reducing, such aspoly backed fabric material, natural and/or synthetic fabrics, spunfiber fabrics, woven fiber fabrics, natural and/or synthetic rubbermaterial such as latex rubber, silicone foam, silicone rubber, rubberfoam, urethane foam, plastic foam, neoprene foam, latex foam rubber,polyurethane foam rubber, forms of the organic compound isoprene,Polyacrylate Rubber, Ethylene-acrylate Rubber, Polyester Urethane,flexible plastics, such as high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polyvinylchloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), Polystyrene (PS), Polycarbonate(PC), low density polyethylene (LDPE), or any other flexible materialincluding combinations of materials.

In some embodiments, the device 100 may comprise an absorber 19 (FIG.3). Generally, an absorber 19 may comprise an absorbent material whichmay be configured to absorb water and other liquids which may come intocontact with the absorber 19. An absorbent material may includesynthetic fabrics such as polyester, polyamide, acrylic, nylon, rayon,acetate, spandex, spandex blends, and natural fabrics such as coir,cotton, terry cloth, hemp, jute, linen, ramie, wool, silk, or any othersuitable flexible natural or synthetic material including combinationsof materials. In further embodiments, an absorbent material may includesodium polyacrylate or any other material which may be configured toabsorb water and other liquids.

Turning now to FIGS. 1-3, in some embodiments, the device 100 maycomprise a mat 16 which may be coupled to the base 14 and which may bepositioned below the base 14 outside of the cavity 15. Preferably, thedevice 100 may comprise an absorber 19 which may be positioned betweenthe base 14 and the mat 16. Should the base 14 be punctured by anappliance 200, the absorber 19 and the mat 16 may prevent water andother liquids from leaking out of the device 100, and the mat 16 andoptionally the absorber 19 may prevent the appliance 200 from puncturingor tearing through the bottom of the device 100. In some embodiments,the base 14 may comprise a base overhang 17 and the mat 16 may extendacross the base 14 and wrap over portions of the base overhang 17. Themat 16 may be coupled to the base 14 with stitching 26, heat welding,adhesive, chemical boding, or any suitable coupling method. In preferredembodiments, the mat 16 may be stitched to the base overhang 17 usingstitching 26 comprising a high durability shoe and boot thread or otherstitching material with a zigzag pattern, instead of a straight stitchpattern, which may create approximately ten times more bonding surfacearea between the mat 16 and the base overhang 17.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, in some embodiments, the device 100 maycomprise a mat 16 which may be coupled to bottom portions of anappliance 200, and the mat 16 may be positioned inside the cavity 15with the appliance 200 so that portions of the mat 16 may contactportions of the base 14 within the cavity 15. In preferred embodiments,the mat 16 may be wrapped around the bottom portions of an appliance 200and secured thereto via one or more retainers 22, and the appliance 200may be inserted (mat 16 first) into the cavity 15 of the encasement 11so that the encasement 11 may surround or completely encapsulate theentire appliance 200. For example, an appliance 200 may be placedvertically over the mat 16, which may be lying flat on the floor, spreadout. Then the mat 16 may be affixed to the appliance 200 via one or moreretainers 22. Once the mat 16 is affixed to the desired portion of theappliance 200, the appliance 200 may be laid down onto an object, suchas a two-wheel dolly, to allow the appliance 200 to be horizontal andhave the bottom or mat 16 covered portions of the appliance 200suspended and accessible for the encasement 11 to be slipped onpartially. Then the appliance 200 may be stood up vertically and therest of the encasement 11 may be raised up over the remainder of theappliance 200, preferably to surround or completely encapsulate theentire appliance 200.

While some exemplary shapes and sizes have been provided for elements ofthe device 100, it should be understood to one of ordinary skill in theart that the encasement 11, mat 16, and any other element describedherein may be configured in a plurality of sizes and shapes including“T” shaped, “X” shaped, square shaped, rectangular shaped, cylindershaped, cuboid shaped, hexagonal prism shaped, triangular prism shaped,or any other geometric or non-geometric shape, including combinations ofshapes. It is not intended herein to mention all the possiblealternatives, equivalent forms or ramifications of the invention. It isunderstood that the terms and proposed shapes used herein are merelydescriptive, rather than limiting, and that various changes, such as tosize and shape, may be made without departing from the spirit or scopeof the invention.

Additionally, while some materials have been provided, in otherembodiments, the elements that comprise the device 100 may be made fromor may comprise durable materials such as aluminum, steel, other metalsand metal alloys, wood, hard rubbers, hard plastics, fiber reinforcedplastics, carbon fiber, fiber glass, resins, polymers or any othersuitable materials including combinations of materials. Additionally,one or more elements may be made from or comprise durable and slightlyflexible materials such as soft plastics, silicone, soft rubbers, or anyother suitable materials including combinations of materials. In someembodiments, one or more of the elements that comprise the device 100may be coupled or connected together with heat bonding, chemicalbonding, adhesives, clasp type fasteners, clip type fasteners, rivettype fasteners, threaded type fasteners, other types of fasteners, orany other suitable joining method. In other embodiments, one or more ofthe elements that comprise the device 100 may be coupled or removablyconnected by being press fit or snap fit together, by one or morefasteners such as hook and loop type or Velcro® fasteners, magnetic typefasteners, threaded type fasteners, sealable tongue and groovefasteners, snap fasteners, clip type fasteners, clasp type fasteners,ratchet type fasteners, a push-to-lock type connection method, aturn-to-lock type connection method, a slide-to-lock type connectionmethod or any other suitable temporary connection method as onereasonably skilled in the art could envision to serve the same function.In further embodiments, one or more of the elements that comprise thedevice 100 may be coupled by being one of connected to and integrallyformed with another element of the device 100.

Although the present invention has been illustrated and described hereinwith reference to preferred embodiments and specific examples thereof,it will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art thatother embodiments and examples may perform similar functions and/orachieve like results. All such equivalent embodiments and examples arewithin the spirit and scope of the present invention, are contemplatedthereby, and are intended to be covered by the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An appliance containment device, the devicecomprising: an encasement having a first end and a second end, whereinthe second end is coupled to a base; a cavity disposed in theencasement, the cavity extending between the first end and the base; anda mat configured to contact the base, the mat coupled to the baseoutside of the cavity.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first endis open.
 3. The device of claim 1, wherein the first end is coupled to alid.
 4. The device of claim 1, wherein the encasement comprises afastener configured to govern access to the cavity.
 5. The device ofclaim 1, further comprising an absorber.
 6. The device of claim 1,wherein the absorber is positioned between the base and the mat.
 7. Thedevice of claim 1, wherein the mat is coupled to the base withstitching.
 8. The device of claim 1, wherein the mat comprises aflexible material.
 9. The device of claim 1, wherein the encasementcomprises woven nylon fabric impregnated with silicone.
 10. The deviceof claim 1, wherein the encasement comprises a cylindrical shape.
 11. Anappliance containment device, the device comprising: an encasementhaving a first end and a second end, wherein the second end is coupledto a base; a cavity disposed in the encasement, the cavity extendingbetween the first end and the base; and a mat configured to contact thebase, the mat configured to be coupled to bottom portions of anappliance, and the mat configured to be positioned inside the cavitywith the appliance so that portions of the mat contact portions of thebase.
 12. The device of claim 11, wherein the first end is open.
 13. Thedevice of claim 11, wherein the first end is coupled to a lid.
 14. Thedevice of claim 11, wherein the encasement comprises a fastenerconfigured to govern access to the cavity.
 15. The device of claim 11,wherein the mat comprises a flexible material.
 16. The device of claim11, wherein the encasement comprises woven nylon fabric impregnated withsilicone.
 17. The device of claim 11, wherein the encasement comprises acylindrical shape.
 18. The device of claim 11, wherein the mat comprisesa wing.
 19. The device of claim 18, further comprising a retainercoupled to the wing.
 20. The device of claim 11, wherein the mat isconfigured with a bucket shape.